Your Baby at Week 22

Your baby hits a mini milestone this week: At a full pound, she bids bye-bye to postal-scale weigh-ins and graduates to the real thing. And at almost 8 inches, your little bear is about the size of the teddies she’ll be playing with before you know it.

A lot has to happen before then, of course, but things are moving along at a brisk pace. Your baby’s quickly developing nervous system is sharpening her senses more and more each day, putting her in touch with her world and her own body. In fact, a new-found sense of touch is making things a lot more fascinating in her cozy domain as tiny fingers reach out to explore tiny toes and — what’s that? — my nose and my ears!

Those same fidgety digits feel their way along the uterine walls, grasping onto the branch-like umbilical cord with all their might. Your wee one is already working on the strong grip she’ll use to grab onto your finger when she’s a newborn.

Your baby’s sense of sight is also coming into focus. What can she see at this point? Even though it’s dark inside your tummy and her eyelids are still fused shut, your baby can perceive light when you let the sun (or a flashlight) shine on your belly. Her sufficiently developed cochlear membranes in the ears are tuned up to hear and process sounds from inside your body. What’s your little one listening to now? Your breathing, the whoosh of your blood flow, your rumbling tummy, and of course the pitter-pattering of your heartbeat.

At a Glance

The Flashlight Test

Though her eyelids are still sealed shut, baby can perceive light and dark now. Shine a flashlight on your tummy and see if she moves.

Baby's nervous system is sharpening her senses, which means her fingers are learning to grab her tiny ears, nose and umbilical cord.

Baby Hits a Big Weight Milestone

Guess what? Now that you're 22 weeks pregnant, your baby, who’s about the size of a small doll, has finally broken the one-pound mark. How heavy is that? Hold a one-pound bag of sugar in your arms the next time you're in the grocery store (and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear). Is the bag eleven inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!

Baby's Grip, Vision and Hearing Are Getting Stronger

This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as she develops her sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite strong now, and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (but don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also becoming more fine-tuned. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before, even with those fused eyelids. But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours. She can also hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body.

Your Body at Week 22

Foot Growth

At 22 weeks pregnant, your uterus is now about an inch above your belly button — growing by leaps and bounds. But your tummy's not the only thing that's growing these days. Have you looked down at your feet? Quick, look now — before you can't see them anymore. If you're like many expectant women, you'll discover that feet get bigger too. Good news if you're looking to revamp your entire shoe collection, not so good if you've just indulged in a pricey pair of Manolos.

While some foot growth can be attributed to pregnancy swelling (edema), there's another reason that feet increase in size during pregnancy (and usually don't shrink back after). Remember relaxin — that pregnancy hormone that loosens the ligaments and joints around your pelvis so your baby can fit through (and the hormone that's also likely to make you especially clumsy during pregnancy)? Well, it doesn't discriminate between the ligaments you'd want loosened up (like those pelvic ones) and those you'd rather it would just leave alone (like the ones in your feet). The result: When the ligaments in the feet are loosened, the bones under them tend to spread slightly, resulting in a half or whole shoe size increase for many women and tootsies that feel suddenly uncomfortably tight. If you do find yourself running to the mall for a new pair of shoes, buy ones that are comfortable and roomy, with no more than a sensible, chunky two-inch heel (skip the stilettos — you'll have trouble enough keeping your balance as your belly balloons forward).

Coping With Tummy Touchers

By now, you may have encountered at least a couple of well-wishing tummy touchers who just can't resist reaching out and rubbing your belly (and it could be anyone — a friend, co-worker, the guy who sells you your morning paper, a perfect stranger on the deli line). And who can blame them? After all, pregnant tummies — so round and cute and housing something even cuter — practically beg to be touched. You may not mind being treated like an exhibit at a children's museum (and, if you're a touchy-feely person yourself, you may even welcome the public display of affection for your baby bump). But if you do mind, there are a couple of approaches you can take. One, you can gently but firmly tell them how you feel ("I know it's tempting, but I really would rather you didn't touch my stomach"). Two, you can back off — literally — and dodge their advances. And three, you can turn the tables by teasingly giving them a belly rub in return (which can be especially effective with middle-aged men sporting paunches). Remember, you're sharing your body on the inside — you don't need to share it on the outside too.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 22

It’s perfectly normal to find yourself wanting to devour the contents of your kitchen cabinets and fridge (you have a growing baby to feed!). So try to stock your home with healthy snacks such as fruit, cut-up veggies, nuts and whole-wheat crackers. Read More

That growing uterus is also putting pressure on your bowels, making it harder to move waste out of your system. Give things a jump-start by exercising regularly, which encourages bowel movements. Read More

Your ever-expanding uterus can put pressure on your blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow to your brain and cause light-headedness. Help keep your blood pumping through your circulatory system by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day (more if it’s hot or you’re working out). Read More

Some experts theorize that leg cramps during pregnancy may be caused by a shortage of calcium or magnesium in the diet. Reduce the frequency of these painful spasms by taking your prenatal vitamin daily. Read More

Noticing stretch marks not just on your tummy but on your hips, thighs and breasts as well? Go ahead and rub moisturizer all over your body — it may not be a miracle cure, but it’s worth a shot and will help ease dryness and itchiness. Read More

Not loving your new outie belly button? After delivery it will revert back to an innie — but be prepared for the fact that you will probably be left with a slightly larger navel. Read More

Tips for You This Week

Prepare for Braxton Hicks

Is your uterus practicing for delivery? If you feel irregular, painless, squeezing sensations in your abdomen, it is. Those are Braxton Hicks contractions and they’re not dangerous. They're a bit like a dress rehearsal: Your uterine muscles are flexing in preparation for the big job they'll have to do in the near future. Keep in mind that while they can be hard to distinguish from the real thing, they're not efficient enough to push your baby out the way actual labor contractions are.

Ask About a fFN Screening

At risk for preterm labor? Your doctor may do a fetal fibronectin (fFN) screening. FFN is the glue your body makes that holds the baby in your uterus. If the results are negative, you're not at risk, but if they're positive, your odds of going into labor soon are much higher, so your practitioner may take steps to prolong your pregnancy and prepare your baby's lungs for an early delivery.

Consider Magnesium

In addition to strengthening baby’s bones and teeth, magnesium works to stimulate enzyme function, regulate insulin and control blood sugar levels. If you’re deficient in magnesium, you may feel fatigued and lack muscle strength (as if you needed any more of that these days), or have leg cramps or restless legs. Other severe consequences can include poor fetal growth or preeclampsia. Ask your doctor if you should add a magnesium supplement to your diet.

Take a Breath

Now's a great time to learn some soothing relaxation techniques — not just because they can help you cope with pregnancy worries (and sooner than you think, with labor contractions), but because they'll come in handy in your life as a new mom (as when the baby's on a crying marathon). Yoga's a fabulous de-stresser, if you have time to take a class (plus it can help you learn how to focus on breathing). But here's a technique you can use just about anywhere, anytime, to soothe your soul: Sit with your eyes closed and imagine a beautiful, peaceful scene (a sunset over your favorite beach, a serene mountain vista). Then, working your way up from your toes to your face, concentrate on relaxing every muscle. Breathe slowly, deeply, only through your nose and choose a simple word (such as "yes" or "one") to repeat aloud every time you exhale. Ten minutes should do the trick, though even a minute or two is better than nothing.

Fit In a Workout

Scientific research shows that you're not the only one who benefits from pregnancy exercise. Apparently, babies of moms who exercise throughout pregnancy score higher, on average, on general intelligence tests by age five. So, not only will your workout boost your muscle power but your baby's brainpower too!

Save on Healthy Foods

Who needs to be loyal to one brand? Store brands and no-frills products may not seduce you with pretty packaging, but they're likely to have inner beauty to match their attractive price tags; check the labels and you'll see they boast as much nutrition as the bigger brands. And here's a little-known secret: In many instances, the store brand is actually a name brand with a store label, so you may be buying the exact same bread you have known and loved — but for a lot less dough. And while you're thinking of ways to save money, try bringing your lunch to work — you can feed that little bundle in your belly and save a bundle, too. Pack your lunch with a wedge of cheese and a piece of fruit, and you're good to go for the workday. Brown-bag often enough and you could save hundreds of dollars by the time your baby is born — a great first deposit in the college fund!

Skip the Fillers

Thinking of stopping by your dermatologist's office for a fill (or a refill) of collagen, Restylane or Perlane? Here's a wrinkle in that plan. As with Botox, the safety of injectable line fillers during pregnancy hasn't been established through studies yet — which means you're better off staying unfilled for now. Besides, at 23 weeks pregnant you may find that normal fluid retention is plumping up your face nicely — leaving your wrinkles less noticeable without the help of cosmetic procedures.

Updated: May 13, 2019

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.

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